Stratofox Aerospac e Tracking Team

Stratofox support for California Near Space Project K6RPT-13 balloon, February 5, 2011

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Stratofox is providing this tracking map to assist with tracking of the California Near Space Project K6RPT-13 balloon flight on February 5, 2011. We also hope it will inspire interested readers from the public to pursue Amateur Radio. This isn't your grandfather's Ham Radio. Today Ham Radio can even be a space program if you want it to.

CNSP aims to break the Amateur Radio balloon altitude record, around 130,000'. On this flight, the highest altitude we saw on a position report was 107,116'.

See the event photos.

Callsigns we are tracking:

Volunteers providing remote support for the search include:

How the tracking map works: The balloon and tracking vehicles transmit Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) position report packets by Ham Radio. Ham stations on the ground forward these reports to the Internet via the APRS-IS system. Our Internet server subscribes to the positions of the callsigns shown above on APRS-IS. The map on the right works by having Google Maps display a GeoRSS XML listing of our data. You can see the raw XML data. Google caches the file for some minutes each time so this display won't always be up to the latest minute. But it's close. For up-to-the-second feed in web browsers, you may also use APRS-IS data viewers like aprs.fi to track individual stations, such as the balloon.

Updates

Twitter updates from @stratofox_team.

Twitter updates as of Fri 11-Mar-2011 06:18:02 PST

ARRL: Middle School Students to Launch Near-Space Balloon http://j.mp/gxZutR #hamradio #hamr
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Wed 9-Mar-2011 21:14:12 PST

Following weather delays, next CNSP balloon launch on Friday from San Jose. Anyone want to help chase/recover it? #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 8-Mar-2011 17:03:48 PST

CNSP K6RPT-15 balloon today had xmitter failure after position report at 110,000'. Stratofox crew saw it burst 20 min later.
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 12-Feb-2011 22:59:46 PST

RT @ikluft: Today was first time I got a turn as chase plane pilot for @Stratofox_Team, hunting for CNSP high-alt balloon.
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 12-Feb-2011 22:55:33 PST

Interested in joining Stratofox? We're always recruiting competent volunteers. http://stratofox.org/join
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Thu 10-Feb-2011 00:03:43 PST

Photos from Stratofox support for California Near Space Project K6RPT-13 balloon Feb 5 http://bit.ly/eMPwVs #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Wed 9-Feb-2011 23:24:44 PST

Space Access conf update: Apr 7-9 in Phoenix, initial speakers list includes Stratofox http://space-access.org/ #newspace
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Wed 9-Feb-2011 14:14:21 PST

CNSP ready for another Amateur Radio balloon altitude record attempt this Sat Feb 12 http://bit.ly/hXxGjD #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 8-Feb-2011 18:46:06 PST

plot of California Near Space Project K6RPT-13 balloon and Stratofox tracking teams today http://bit.ly/fkiBDW #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 5-Feb-2011 16:08:30 PST

Highest altitude we saw for CNSP K6RPT-13 balloon was 107,116ft #hamr #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 5-Feb-2011 10:32:30 PST

CNSP K6RPT-13 balloon went into the ocean off coast of Monterey. No recovery possible. #hamr #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 5-Feb-2011 10:25:49 PST

Balloon away! #hamr #hamradio http://twitpic.com/3wrzyx
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 5-Feb-2011 07:59:11 PST

CNSP balloon ready for launch #hamr #hamradio http://twitpic.com/3wrywd
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 5-Feb-2011 07:56:04 PST

CNSP balloon fill begins for K6RPT-13 altitude record attempt #hamr #hamradio http://twitpic.com/3wrt5m
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 5-Feb-2011 07:38:28 PST

Stratofox will support tracking/recovery for CNSP hi-alt balloon Saturday http://californianearspaceproject.com/
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Fri 4-Feb-2011 19:37:55 PST

RT @SBAY_ORG: Newly donated hw will allow SBAY to make virtualized server hosting for SIGs & related projects http://twitpic.com/3up4gw
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 29-Jan-2011 18:40:43 PST

RT @SBAY_ORG: #SBAY Pizza tonight at 7pm at Pizza My Heart at 117 E San Carlos, San Jose, CA http://www.sbay.org/dir-sj-dt-pmh.html
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Sat 15-Jan-2011 11:29:27 PST

"The New Race to Space" book by @i_eric mentions Amateur Radio throughout, essential to 2004 space rocket #hamr #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 11-Jan-2011 18:18:15 PST

Interested in joining Stratofox? http://stratofox.org/join Feb 5 CNSP balloon flight counts for participation requirement
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 11-Jan-2011 17:42:51 PST

Stratofox will support California Near Space Project balloon altitude record attempt Sat Feb 5 #newspace #hamradio
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 11-Jan-2011 17:39:51 PST

Follow @i_eric Eric Knight KB1EHE, author of "The New Race to Space" about CSXT's 2004 all-volunteer space launch #newspace
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 11-Jan-2011 17:22:24 PST

RT @ikluft: Thanks to Eric Knight for fantastic credits to @Stratofox_Team (including me) in his book "The New Race to Space" #newspace
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 11-Jan-2011 17:09:20 PST

On our announce mail list: Eric Knight's book "The NEW Race to Space" is out http://bit.ly/hgbu6V #newspace
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 4-Jan-2011 13:42:54 PST

RT @ikluft: Eric Knight's "The NEW Race to Space" book has chapter about @Stratofox_Team search/recovery of CSXT space rocket #newspace
Tweeted by @Stratofox_Team at Tue 4-Jan-2011 10:21:38 PST